The invention relates to a structural element which can be used especially, but not exclusively, as a front-face support for a motor vehicle.
It is current practice nowadays, when assembling a motor vehicle, to put in place, at the front thereof, various items of apparatus such as lighting units, heat exchangers, sound warning devices, bonnet lock, in the form of a subassembly in which these items of apparatus are fixed onto a support known as front-face support. Such a subassembly can be produced by an equipment manufacturer, and the motor-vehicle constructor has only to offer it up to the front of the vehicle and fix the front-face support onto the structure of the vehicle, thus indirectly fixing the items of apparatus carried by the front-face support, with no need to handle or individually fix these items of apparatus onto the structure of the vehicle. This constitutes a considerable simplification of the vehicle-assembly operations.
EP 0 658 470 A describes such a front-face support comprising a body made of plastic overmoulded onto a metal reinforcement made from stamped sheet metal.
EP 0 370 342 A describes a structural element comprising a first component having the general shape of a channel featuring free opposite edges, and a second component made of plastic overmoulded onto the first component, defining at least one web which extends transversely within the channel, and being extended outside the channel in the region of the said free edges.
In this known element, the second component is linked with the free edges of the first component only in discrete areas along the edges through apertures which are formed therein.
The object of the invention is to obtain a more rigid link between the second component and the free. edges of the first component.
According to one aspect the invention comprises structural element comprising a first component and a second component, the first component having the general shape of a channel exhibiting opposite free edges, and the second component being of plastics and being overmoulded onto the first component, defining at least one web which extends transversely within the channel, and being extended outside it in the region of the said free edges, wherein each free edge is divided, in its longitudinal direction into segments which are offset with respect to one another alternately inwards. and outwards in the lateral direction of the channel, and wherein the second component forms, on each free edge, a longitudinal bead which covers over the outer face of the segments which are offset inwards and the inner face of the segments which are offset outwards.
The bead may thus be linked with the free edge over the entire length thereof, serving it as a support both inwards as well as outwards.
Optional characteristics of the invention, which are supplementary or alternative, are set out below:
Each bead exhibits a substantially uniform cross section.
Each bead also covers over the inner face of the segments which are offset inwards.
The segments of the same free edge are separated from one another by cut-outs.
The segments of the same free edge are connected to one another by portions which are inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the said edge, ensuring the continuity thereof.
The said inclined portions, including their free cut edges, are encased in the said bead.
The segments of at least one of the two series, inner and outer, exhibit a curved shape in cross section.
The segments of the two series exhibit, in cross section, shapes which are curved according to different radii.
The wall of the channel, at a distance from the said free edges, exhibits at least one inwards-reentrant deformation, which is encased in the second component in order to provide mutual mechanical fastening without piercing of the wall.
The said reentrant deformation is formed in a bottom region of the channel, substantially at equal distance from the two free edges.
According to another aspect the invention comprises a front-face support for a vehicle, comprising a structural element comprising a first component and a second component, the first component having the general shape of a channel exhibiting opposite free edges, and the second component being of plastics and being overmoulded onto the first component, defining at least one web which extends transversely within the channel, and being extended outside it in the region of the said free edges, wherein each free edge is divided, in its longitudinal direction into segments which are offset with respect to one another alternately inwards and outwards in the lateral direction of the channel, and wherein the second component forms, on each free edge, a longitudinal bead which covers over the outer face of the segments which are offset inwards and the inner face of the segments which are offset outwards.